In surgery, surgical needles are dispensed to the surgeon and an accurate count is maintained to insure that after the patient is ready for closing the number of needles used in the surgery is the same as those that have been dispensed to the surgeon. Pads for holding the needles as well as other instruments after they have been used are known in the art as is typified by the patent to Eldridge, Jr. U.S. Pat. No. 3,727,658, dated Apr. 17, 1973, wherein the pad is provided with magnetic strips on its upper face to retain metallic instruments used in surgery, such as surgical needles.
However, such type of magnetic retaining means is not all to be desired because instruments used in the surgery which are not intended to be retained by the pad, such as needle holders may become attracted to the pad by the magnetic strips, and when pulled away may knock off implements adhered to the pad by such magnets. Moreover, there is no systematic arrangement of the used surgical needles so that an accurate count may be obtained at a glance of the number of needles that have been used in the surgery to insure that the correct number has been accounted for before the patient is closed.